Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Wall

Bottomless, topless, box-modules
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Boxes, lidless, bottomless modules, the size of building blocks, might make a self-aligning wall, or building, either permanent or temporary.

Visualise starting off the bottom row [in a trench of course], of full-height and half-height modules alternately.

Visualise joining the modules with power-screws through the sides by reaching into each box.

Visualise placing another row of full-sized modules this time, and repeat the screwing.

Visualise continuing this process until you reach the height you want.

Finish off the top row with half-height ad full-height modules.

For a permanent wall you could pour concrete down the hollow columns.

To see how it works, bake a piece of model wall with the outer part of match-boxes as your modules and a dab of quickdry rubber cement as your screws.

rayfo, Jun 21 2001

Hollow Concrete Building blocks http://www.technicr...building/hollow.htm
Like I say, browned, but not completely baked... [goff, Jun 21 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Self-Explanatory Idea Names http://www.halfbake...tory_20idea_20names
Something this idea is NOT! [dgeiser13, Jun 21 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

baked... http://www.pinkfloyd.co.uk/
...by pink floyd [mihali, Jun 21 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

[link]






       Yes, I like it. Made of what?
angel, Jun 21 2001
  

       Concrete for instance. (see link) Fairly well browned, methinks.
goff, Jun 21 2001
  

       With all due deference oh mighty ones [deep bow], my blocks [MatchBloxes?] differ from thoss referred to.   

       1. They could be made from cheap surplus wood by unskilled workers. No moulds. No casting. Just nails or staples and a jig.   

       2. There are several possibilities for assembly in place of screwing. The fastener industry would have several.   

       3, The half-height full-height alternation start is a big difference.   

       Overall, cheapness I supppose would be the main difference.
rayfo, Jun 21 2001
  

       Wood is more expensive than concrete, and screws would add to the cost. Small pieces of wood can be finger-jointed together into longer ones; this is how window and baseboard manufacturers make theirs, in at least a few cases.   

       Concrete doesn't really need much in the way of skill, especially with automated plants, and while there is some involved in laying the blocks themselves, I'd rather have a pro of some sort doing it than whatever random alkies 'Rent-A-Wino' came up with...
StarChaser, Jun 21 2001
  

       I think this would waste about 20% of the wood due to a large 'toe in' area that is fastened in overlap fashion.   

       However, using a jig such as the boxes you describe and suitable hardware cloth, a frame for dipping in glue and dusting with sawdust or fiberglas could yield a lightweight and strong modular block. Assemble the same way with a slightly different choice of fastener.
reensure, Jun 21 2001
  

       would you please stop saying visualize?
cornpad, Aug 07 2004
  

       This is a really neat idea. However, the finished product would unfortunately consist of columns of concrete separated by sections of wood, which would weaken it severely (if I'm visualizing it correctly...). Visualize this: make all the blocks the same height, but visualize laying the second course shifted left (or right) by half a brick width. This would mean that the concrete would join together horizontally as well as vertically.
wagster, Aug 07 2004
  
      
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